At Royal Life Saving NSW (RLSNSW), we believe that staying active and learning essential lifesaving skills should be accessible to everyone—including seniors! That’s why we partnered with regional councils and their pools to deliver the Connecting Seniors Program, a pilot initiative aimed at empowering seniors to embrace aquatic fitness while learning vital CPR skills. This initiative was proudly funded through the Connecting Seniors Grant by the NSW Government.
From the coast to inland communities, we successfully delivered 10 programs across regional NSW, engaging seniors in:
Batemans Bay
Goulburn
Central Coast
Toronto
Raymond Terrace
Lake Macquarie
Maitland
Richmond Valley
Tweed
Each program was designed to enhance physical activity and lifesaving knowledge through:
Two in-water sessions led by local pools, including fun and engaging aqua aerobics classes.
A CPR awareness presentation delivered by Royal Life Saving NSW to equip participants with confidence in emergency situations.
Morning teas to foster social connections and build new friendships within the senior community.
Take-home resources on aquatic exercise benefits and CPR skill reinforcement to keep lifesaving techniques top of mind.
The Connecting Seniors Program saw over 240 seniors take part in these engaging sessions. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with partner councils and pools expressing strong interest in continuing to offer senior-focused programs that enhance both community connections and lifesaving education.
Results from pre and post-program surveys highlighted the impact of the initiative:
✅ 100% of participants reported feeling more confident in delivering or instructing CPR.
✅ Seniors expressed a strong intention to continue participating in aquatic activities as part of their regular fitness routine.
We extend a heartfelt thank you and our deepest gratitude to:
Our incredible partners, including regional councils and local pools, who helped bring this program to life.
The NSW Government, for providing funding that made this program free and accessible to seniors across regional NSW.
Our amazing participants, who embraced the opportunity to improve their health, wellbeing, and lifesaving knowledge.
The success of the Connecting Seniors Program reinforces the importance of aquatic fitness and CPR education in keeping our communities safe and connected. We look forward to continuing our mission to support active and engaged senior communities across NSW!
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